Tea ball



June 5, 192s. 1,672,518

. R. ENsKo TEA BALL Filed March G, 1928 nw/Hmm-r ROBERT EIN'SKO MZ JW@ Patented June 5, 1928.

l UNITED STATES ROBERT ENSKO,IOF FREEPORT, NEW YORK.

:DEA BALL.

Appneation mea rims s, 192s. serial No. 259,435..

The invention relates lnore particularly to measured quantities of tea each designed on immersion in hot water, to provide an individual cup of tea. The portions of tea are usually presented in the form of small bags of suitable fabric inclosing the desired quantities, closed at the neck and having a light cord or heavy thread attached thereto, adapted to hang outside the cup and provided at the end with a tag by which the bag may be Withdrawn from the cup after the tea has steeped sufficiently.

These containers known as tea balls, are packed in quantities in suitable boxes or cartons, and the packing therein, and especially the selection of a single bag therefrom, is rendered diliicult by reason of the entanglement of the many cords and their attached tags.

They object of the invention is to provide simple, inexpensive and efficient means `whereby the entangling is avoided, thus facilitating the counting and packing by the manufacturer and the extraction of the bags individually by the consumer.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement by which the above ob'ects are attamed, to be hereinafter describe and claimed.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show an Vapproved form of the invention.

Figure. 1 is a perspective view of aV tea ball with its cordl and tag, the latter shown as separably joined to the neck of the bag.

Figure 2 is a similar view showin the tag detached from engagement with ti and the bag in condition for service.

Figure 3 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 1, showing the neck of the bag in horizontal section and the separable connection of the tag to the neck.

Similar Yreference numerals indicate the same parts in all the figures.

The small bag of loosely Woven muslin or linen is marked 5. Y Its open end is gathered together in a neck 6 and tightly closed and fastened by any suitable means, shown as a cylindrical collar 7 of aluminum or other material.

' Permanently attached to the neck or other portion of the bag is alight cord 8 long enough to depend outside the cup when the bag or`tea ball is immersed therein, and permanently attached to the free end of the cord 8 is thetag 9 of cardboard or the like e neck,

serving as a convenient means of handling the tea ball 1n Inserting the latter 1n the cup and removing it therefrom.

As stated above, the entanglement of the cords 8 and tags 9 when anumber of the bags are thrown together in a mass is a serious hindrance and annoyance to the packer and also to the consumer. To obviate this diliculty the tag is separably attached to the i.

bag while 'ermanently secured to the end of the cor This arrangement holds the tag closely adjacent to the bag and by thus forming a loop in the cord lessens the length ot free cord jliable to entanglement. TheI cord thus formed into a bight or loop with its tag held in place conditions the tea'ball for easy handling under all circumstances.

This is effected in the presentinstance by -counting and packing, and distributing operations, While` all that is required by the consumer is to simply Withdraw the tag from its engagement.

Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions of the parts Within Wide limits vWithout departing from the principle of tlieinvention or 'sacrificing its advantages, and although the invention is shown and described as applied to a tea ball it Will be understood that it will serve with other tagged packages and in other situations to wluch it. may be adapted.

I claim :4-

f 1. The tea ball described comprising a container, a cord attached to said container at one end, a tag secured to the free end of said cord, and means independent of said cord for separably attaching said tag to said container.

2. A tea ball comprising a container, a cord attached at one end to said container, and a tag secured to said cord and having provision independent of the cord for separably attaching the latter to the container.

3. In a device of the character Set forth, acontainer having a neck, a cord attached to said container at one end, and a tag secured to the Vfree end of said cordJ said tag having a recess adapted to engage separably with said neck. t

4. ln a device yof the character set forth, a container'having a neck, a cord attached to said container' at one end, and a tag secured` to the free end of said cord, said tag having a recess, a throat narrower than such recess and extending therefrom to the periphery of said tag, said recess and throat adapted partially to inclose said neck and separably attach said tag thereto.

5. The tag described having a `recess adjacent its edge, and a throat narrower than such recess and extending therefrom to such edge, said recess and throat adapted to engage said tag separably to a member inc losed thereby.

6. A tea ball of fabric, and a ligament having one end attached to the saine, the other end of said ligament having means for .separable connection with said fabric.

In testimony that ll claim the 'invention rabove set forth, I affix my signatre hereto.

ROBERT ENSKO. 

